Took My New Wetsuit To The Reservoir!

[Alex]

I went wetsuit shopping this past week and ended up getting a screaming deal from a local shop on a brand new 2009 2XU full-sleeve suit. The guy at the shop was so helpful, right down to the detailed description of how to take it off when I got out of the water.

DH and I went to a local reservoir/state park this morning where the water was a refreshing 62 degrees. The air temps were 65. I have had wetsuits for windsurfing, but I was not prepared for just how floaty this thing was. That did wonders for my comfort level in the water. My original plan was to get in and get wet and just sort of see how I felt about the whole thing. I'm happy to report that I was able to work on my Total Immersion drills! It is certainly a different sensation in open water, especially with waves from the wakes of passing boats. (We were in a swimming-only area, though, so that was good.) There were kids near shore floating in the water with pool noodles and a big giant inflatable whale. I told DH that I felt okay knowing that Shamu could rescue me at any time! After our swim, we took our dogs out for a lovely walk around the park.

The TI lessons are going GREAT! I am learning so much.

Just wanted to share my excitement over my first foray into open water!

Alex

[teigyr]

Yay! That floaty feeling is so great, isn't it.

I'm glad it fit and it worked and that you are having fun with it. Have you noticed a difference from TI drills when you swim with the wetsuit and without?

[Alex]

There was a definite difference with the drills. The wetsuit makes my legs and feet ride pretty high in the water. Also, when I rolled into sweet spot, my feet seemed far too high. It felt sort of strange being so high up in the water. I'm pretty float-y normally, so being even higher was interesting. It should certainly make breathing easier.

I'm just starting to work on a 2-beat kick, so it probably didn't help matters that I don't have that imprinted yet. Sometimes my legs have a mind of their own. I've been rewatching the TI DVD and some YouTube videos and plan to work on the 2BK later today.

Alex

[Tri Girl]

I love wearing a wetsuit. I rarely kick- even when in the pool- so wearing the wetsuit really keeps me from having to kick at all. I think my kick is more like a -2 beat kick instead of a 2 beat kick.


I'm glad you felt comfortable and got to practice some drills out there. Isn't swimming in a wetsuit so much more fun than without it?

[HillSlugger]

I love wearing a wetsuit. I rarely kick- even when in the pool- so wearing the wetsuit really keeps me from having to kick at all. I think my kick is more like a -2 beat kick instead of a 2 beat kick.


I'm glad you felt comfortable and got to practice some drills out there. Isn't swimming in a wetsuit so much more fun than without it?

Yeah, it's a real confidence booster. I don't think I kick at all when I'm wearing mine.

[Alex]

Well... since I've only ever done drills in open water with a wetsuit, I don't know if it's more fun than without a wetsuit!

I did go to the lap pool for over an hour today to work on the two-beat kick. I just wasn't very coordinated at first and couldn't get the concept of kicking the opposite leg from the spearing arm. I read on some swimming message board that fins can help, so I borrowed DH's. After much trial and error and intense concentration, I was able to coordinate the proper arm with the proper leg. That was SO exciting! Seriously! After that, I was able to do it without the fins, too. DH said my kick was too big, but I was able to make it much smaller after he told me that. He also told me to make hip drive a focal point (like I did in my lesson on Thursday) and that helped, too.

By the time I got the 2BK work done, I was too fried to do much work on any breathing exercises, but it was a productive pool session, nonetheless.

Alex

[colby]

I think an odd-numbered beat is easier and messes with your body roll less than an even number. I have a hell of a time getting below 5, 4 feels just wrong, and 3 was too hard for me to count (I started counting arms rather than legs) and it got too close to my race so I went back to 5. I guess at least with the 2 beat kick you move your arms and your legs at the same time, but I breathe every 3rd stroke (or 3-2-3-2 in open water) so it all messes me up.

Who knew counting could be so hard!!

I went OWS for the first time last weekend (well, the first time since I had to do it fo reals, so a couple of weeks). I didn't have on my wetsuit (no way was I putting it on when it was 90 degrees outside), just tri shorts/top, but swimming felt good. No panic, no problems sighting (and no people running into me ). I'm glad I spent so much time being coached this year, I feel so much more like I'm cruising ON the water not IN the water. Now to get faster....

Congrats on the new wetsuit, and your first time taking it out in open water. Exciting.

[HillSlugger]

I have no idea what my kick/stroke count is but I know I do little kicking. Better to save those legs for biking and running!